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China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years - Foreign Affairs - Nairaland

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China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Ilekokonit(op): 6:16pm On Nov 04, 2025
Trump Over to you. You've got to act on this as well.
China launches biggest crackdown on Christians for years as dozens of pastors are rounded up in 'new wave of religious persecution'

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 13:55, 13 October 2025 | Updated: 14:27, 13 October 2025

Police in China detained dozens of pastors of one of its largest underground churches over the weekend, a church spokesperson and relatives said, in the biggest crackdown on Christians since 2018.

The detentions, which come amid renewed China-US tensions after Beijing dramatically expanded rare earth export controls last week, drew condemnation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called on Sunday for the pastors' immediate release.

Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, an unofficial 'house church' not sanctioned by the government, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening, said his daughter, Grace Jin, and a church spokesperson, Sean Long.

'What just happened is part of a new wave of religious persecution this year,' said Long, adding that police had questioned more than 150 worshippers and stepped up harassment at in-person Sunday services in recent months.

Speaking to Reuters from his home in the United States, Long added that around the same time, authorities detained nearly 30 pastors and church members nationwide, but later released five.

About 20 pastors and church leaders remain in detention, he added.

Police in Beihai could not be reached by telephone for comment. China's ministry of public security did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.

Jin, 56, is being held in Beihai City No. 2 Detention Centre on suspicion of 'illegal use of information networks', an official detention notice that Long provided to Reuters showed. The charge carries a maximum jail term of seven years.
Pastor Jin Mingri (pictured), the founder of Zion Church, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening

Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening

Supporters fear Jin and other pastors could eventually be indicted on charges of illegally using the internet to disseminate religious information.

'He's been hospitalised in the past for diabetes. We're worried since he requires medication,' Grace Jin said. 'I've also been notified that lawyers are not allowed to meet the pastors, so that is very concerning to us.'

The crackdown comes a month after new rules from China's top religion regulator banned unauthorised online preaching or religious training by clergy, as well as 'foreign collusion'.

Last month, President Xi Jinping also vowed to 'implement strict law enforcement' and to advance the Sinicisation of religion in China.

China has more than 44 million Christians registered with state-sanctioned churches, the majority Protestant, official figures show.

But tens of millions more are estimated to be part of illegal 'house churches' that operate outside the control of the ruling Communist Party.

Zion Church, with about 5,000 regular worshippers across nearly 50 cities, rapidly added members during the COVID-19 pandemic through Zoom sermons and small in-person gatherings, Long said.

The church was founded by Jin, also known as Ezra, in 2007, after he quit as a pastor for the official Protestant church.

A graduate of the elite Peking University, Jin converted to Christianity after witnessing the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Long added.

In 2018, police shut down its church building in Beijing, the capital, during a crackdown on major house churches. Earlier this year, police temporarily detained 11 Zion Church pastors, Long said.

The government placed travel restrictions on Jin in 2018, so that he could not visit his wife and three children who had resettled in the United States, Grace Jin said.

'I think he had always known that there was a possibility he would be imprisoned,' she added.

Dozens of police officers forcibly intercepted Jin last month while he was trying to board a U.S.-bound flight from the commercial hub of Shanghai, and restricted his travel outside Beihai, said Bob Fu, the founder of Christian NGO ChinaAid.

'The key underlying reason is that Zion Church has grown explosively into a well-organised network in recent years, which of course must scare the Communist Party leadership,' said Fu.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15187201/China-crackdown-Christians-pastors-religious-persecution.html
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Flangelo12: 6:20pm On Nov 04, 2025
Wow.

Trump would be sending his fleet to attack China tomorrow.

We know he won't do sheet.

He doesn't rate those Christians that would be facing State-sponsored persecution koto koro.

But an African nation with oil, facing the fallout of Libya's destruction, pure game.
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by saintokwuluora(m): 6:28pm On Nov 04, 2025
Birds of the same feather, flock together. China also persecuting Christians but sent a mere ministry spokesperson to make a statement disgraced Nigerian leaders crave for, because they know they won't stop Trump doing what he wants in Nigeria. Ask China's strategic partners Iran and Venezuela.
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by SarkinYarki: 6:38pm On Nov 04, 2025
At least they are not killing them and putting them in Mass Graves like Nigerian Muslims do
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by SarkinYarki: 6:40pm On Nov 04, 2025
Flangelo12:
Wow.

Trump would be sending his fleet to attack China tomorrow.

We know he won't do sheet.

He doesn't rate those Christians that would be facing State-sponsored persecution koto koro.

But an African nation with oil, facing the fallout of Libya's destruction, pure game.
Mr Terrorist sympathizer please show us one christian china has kiiled ?

If China born well let them kill 7000 christian in one year if there won't be uproar...Nigerian Muslims are killing christians
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Flangelo12: 6:45pm On Nov 04, 2025
SarkinYarki:
Mr Terrorist sympathizer please show us one christian china has kiiled ?

If China born well let them kill 7000 christian in one year if there won't be uproar...Nigerian Muslims are killing christians
Na only killing be persecution?

huh


Just say Trump cannot face China, nobody would beat you.
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Flangelo12: 6:46pm On Nov 04, 2025
SarkinYarki:
At least they are not killing them and putting them in Mass Graves like Nigerian Muslims do
This is direct state-sponsored persecution.

Can't you tell Trump to attack China?

huh

Nobody likes any of these incidents but you all are hypocrites.
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by SpaceX: 9:10pm On Nov 04, 2025
Flangelo12:
Wow.

Trump would be sending his fleet to attack China tomorrow.

We know he won't do sheet.

He doesn't rate those Christians that would be facing State-sponsored persecution koto koro.

But an African nation with oil, facing the fallout of Libya's destruction, pure game.
see what we Muslims did to Christians in Gwoza....

Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Flangelo12: 9:18pm On Nov 04, 2025
SpaceX:
see what we Muslims did to Christians in Gwoza....
That's sad.

May their souls rest in peace.


🙏🏾

May their killers be routed out.
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by Floky215: 6:06am On Nov 05, 2025
Since Trump made a statement, the islamist in nigeria have been in confusion having sleepless night and running from pillar to post.... grin grin grin

Make una no worry, Trump would remove the tumor fast and sweet.... grin grin grin
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by ShobayoEmma(m): 7:58pm On Nov 05, 2025
Jesus Christ said; "The church shall match on and the gate of hell will not prevail over it"
Let them continue to try in vain.



Tinubu, a bad man with good intentions
Re: China Launches Biggest Crackdown On Christians For Years by AlphaTaikun: 2:35am On Nov 06, 2025
Ilekokonit:
China launches biggest crackdown on Christians for years as dozens of pastors are rounded up in 'new wave of religious persecution'

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 13:55, 13 October 2025 | Updated: 14:27, 13 October 2025

Police in China detained dozens of pastors of one of its largest underground churches over the weekend, a church spokesperson and relatives said, in the biggest crackdown on Christians since 2018.

The detentions, which come amid renewed China-US tensions after Beijing dramatically expanded rare earth export controls last week, drew condemnation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called on Sunday for the pastors' immediate release.

Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, an unofficial 'house church' not sanctioned by the government, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening, said his daughter, Grace Jin, and a church spokesperson, Sean Long.

'What just happened is part of a new wave of religious persecution this year,' said Long, adding that police had questioned more than 150 worshippers and stepped up harassment at in-person Sunday services in recent months.

Speaking to Reuters from his home in the United States, Long added that around the same time, authorities detained nearly 30 pastors and church members nationwide, but later released five.

About 20 pastors and church leaders remain in detention, he added.

Police in Beihai could not be reached by telephone for comment. China's ministry of public security did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.

Jin, 56, is being held in Beihai City No. 2 Detention Centre on suspicion of 'illegal use of information networks', an official detention notice that Long provided to Reuters showed. The charge carries a maximum jail term of seven years.
Pastor Jin Mingri (pictured), the founder of Zion Church, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening

Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, was detained at his home in the southern city of Beihai on Friday evening

Supporters fear Jin and other pastors could eventually be indicted on charges of illegally using the internet to disseminate religious information.

'He's been hospitalised in the past for diabetes. We're worried since he requires medication,' Grace Jin said. 'I've also been notified that lawyers are not allowed to meet the pastors, so that is very concerning to us.'

The crackdown comes a month after new rules from China's top religion regulator banned unauthorised online preaching or religious training by clergy, as well as 'foreign collusion'.

Last month, President Xi Jinping also vowed to 'implement strict law enforcement' and to advance the Sinicisation of religion in China.

China has more than 44 million Christians registered with state-sanctioned churches, the majority Protestant, official figures show.

But tens of millions more are estimated to be part of illegal 'house churches' that operate outside the control of the ruling Communist Party.

Zion Church, with about 5,000 regular worshippers across nearly 50 cities, rapidly added members during the COVID-19 pandemic through Zoom sermons and small in-person gatherings, Long said.

The church was founded by Jin, also known as Ezra, in 2007, after he quit as a pastor for the official Protestant church.

A graduate of the elite Peking University, Jin converted to Christianity after witnessing the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Long added.

In 2018, police shut down its church building in Beijing, the capital, during a crackdown on major house churches. Earlier this year, police temporarily detained 11 Zion Church pastors, Long said.

The government placed travel restrictions on Jin in 2018, so that he could not visit his wife and three children who had resettled in the United States, Grace Jin said.

'I think he had always known that there was a possibility he would be imprisoned,' she added.

Dozens of police officers forcibly intercepted Jin last month while he was trying to board a U.S.-bound flight from the commercial hub of Shanghai, and restricted his travel outside Beihai, said Bob Fu, the founder of Christian NGO ChinaAid.

'The key underlying reason is that Zion Church has grown explosively into a well-organised network in recent years, which of course must scare the Communist Party leadership,' said Fu.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15187201/China-crackdown-Christians-pastors-religious-persecution.html
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